The Young Trail Hunters eBook

Without a moment’s hesitation Ned discharged
the contents of his other barrel at the animals, thinking
they were hogs that had escaped from some herd that
had been driven across the country.

The shot did not penetrate their thick hides far enough
to do anything but irritate and madden them, and the
whole herd rushed towards the boys, who, frightened
at their formidable appearance, jumped into the nearest
tree, where they had been obliged to remain until released
by us.

Once fairly out of reach of the infuriated creatures,
they rather enjoyed the situation for a time; Hal
feeling confident that he could, at any moment, frighten
them away by the discharge of his rifle.

Finally, becoming tired of the fun, he discharged
his rifle and killed his hog; but this only seemed
to make the creatures more ferocious, and then, for
the first time, the boys became really alarmed.

As hour after hour passed, and the hogs showed no
disposition to depart, Hal began to despond, declaring
that no help would reach them before they should starve.
Ned, however, kept up heart, until the infuriated
creatures began to devour the dead body of their comrade.

The smell of the blood and taste of the flesh maddened
them to such a degree that they began a warfare among
themselves, furiously striking at and cutting one
another with their long, sharp tusks, killing and
trampling under their feet the weaker, and then greedily
devouring the dead; all the while filling the air
with their sharp, shrill cries.

The boys, who had, up to this time, been hoping that
assistance would come from some source, were about
giving up in despair, when they witnessed the slaughter
made by our revolvers and knew that succor had at
last arrived.

As soon as they were able to walk, we guided them
to the spot where we had left our mules, and placed
them in the saddles, directing them to camp; Jerry
and myself resolving to walk.

Shouldering our rifles, we started towards the bank
of the river, believing it to be a shorter route than
the way we had come. Although it was fast growing
dark, we had no fear but that by this route we should
reach camp quite as soon as the boys.

While passing through a grove of pecan trees, about
a couple of miles from camp, my attention was suddenly
arrested by the cry of some person, apparantly in
distress.

“Hark, Jerry,” said I; “did you
hear that? Some one’s in trouble—­wait
a minute.”

“Thunder! judge, hain’t you been in Texas
long enough to know a painter’s yell when you
hear it? That was a reg’lar out-and-out
painter you heard. I’ve—­”

Just at this moment, a prolonged, heart-rending wail
trembled upon the stillness of the evening air:
so piercing, yet so plaintive, was it, that it sent
a shudder through my frame I have not forgotton to
this day.